Air pollution: South Coast Air Quality Management District: mobile sources: Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Senator Richardson's legislation establishes new requirements for South Coast Air Quality Management District regulations affecting the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles. Under the measure, any district action imposing additional emissions reduction requirements on port operations must include comprehensive impact assessments examining energy needs, costs, funding sources, workforce effects, and environmental consequences.

The bill requires the district to use these port-prepared assessments when setting compliance timelines and creates a formal process for timeline extensions. It explicitly prohibits caps on cargo throughput or cruise ship passengers, while barring the use of public funds to promote automated or remotely operated equipment. The measure permits procurement of human-operated zero-emission equipment and related infrastructure at the ports.

The legislation comes as the ports have achieved substantial emissions reductions, with the San Pedro Bay complex reporting decreases of 91% in diesel particulate matter, 72% in nitrogen oxides, and 98% in sulfur oxides compared to 2005 levels. The ports have also adopted a joint Clean Air Action Plan targeting zero-emission cargo handling equipment by 2030 and zero-emission drayage trucks by 2035. These provisions would remain in effect until January 1, 2031.